Type-writing machine



(No Modl.) 5 sheets sheeti.

- G. F. ROBERTSON.

- TYPE WRITING MACHINE. No. 448,079.

WITNESSES 1.7V VEJVTOR (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. F. ROBERTSON. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 448,079. Patent-ed Mar. 10,1891.

6W i @JW/%/ 6 n YEW cm, mow-11mm, wlsmmfeu, n. c.

(No Model.) '5 Sheets-Sheet 3 G. P. ROBERTSON. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 448,079. Patented Mar. 10, 1891.

' Attorney m M EG m 0T M W n GY Patented Mar. 10; 1891.

WITNESSES (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

RROBERTSON. 5 TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 448,079. Patented Mar. 10, 1891.

l% WIZWESSES v j IINZJVTOR NITED STATES GEORGE FRANCIS ROBERTSON, OF MORRISTOIVN, TENNESSEE.

'TYPEWRlTlNG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,079, dated March 10, 1891.

Application filed July 31,1890. Serial No. 360,511. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE FRANCIS ROB- ERTSON, a citizen of the United States, residing atMorristown, in the county of I-Iamblen and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Vriting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in type-writing machines; and an object of the same is to provide a simple and reliable instrument, more compact in form, more easy of operation, more readily understood, less liable to get out of order, and at less cost than any now known, and at the same time adapted to a greater range and variety of work.

A further object of my invention is to make a type-writer peculiarly adapted to the work of professional menas, for instance, clergymen, physicians, mathematicians, &c.and to this end the device is so constructed that the lastline written and each word-as written are plainly visible to the writer, thus greatly facilitating composition or writing without notes. One of the sections of the characterboard is also designed with special reference to any requirement, as it will contain mathematical, chemical, or commercial symbols, &c., as desired.

\Vith these ends in view my invention consists, first, in a feed-roll for the paper to pass around, said roll being so situated that the portion of the paper exposed to the action of the types is direotly in front of and beneath the eye of the operator, and, second, in a printing mechanism that is depressed upon the paper to form a letter or character and raised therefrom preparatory to forming a second, thus exposing each partially'formed word or sentence and at once showing any mistake that may have been made.

My invention further consists in mechanism for regularly and automatically inking the type,in a newautomatic spacing and feed device, in mechanism for automatically looking and unlocking the type-roller as the characters are. brought into position for printing, in a new and improved character-board and verse vertical section.

type-roller, and a new and improved arrangement of characters thereon.

My invention further consists in the parts and combination of parts, as will be more fully described, and pointed out in the claims. 7

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of my typewriter in isometric perspective. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section,looking from the right. Fig.3 is a similar View looking from the left. Fig. at is a view in trans- Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the printing mechanism. Figs. 6 and 7 are views in detail of detached parts. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the character-board. Figs. 9 to 13, inclusive, show modifications which willbe fully described herein after. Fig. 14 is an elevation of part of theinking mech anism.

Like symbols of reference denote like parts in all the views.

1 designates the base-plate or foundation upon which the parts are secured. The feedroller 2 is journaled upon'lorackets 3 3', rigidly secured to the base-plate, so as slightly to elevate it above the plate, and it is provided with a milled actuating line-space knob or wheel 2 and with a toothed spacing-wheel 2", having a suitable detent-spring or clickratchet 4, as particularly shown in Fig. 1. A sheet-metal guard-spring 5, constituting the paper-guide, is rigidly secured to the baseplate beneath the feed-roller 2 and passes around in front of the latter, its free edge pressing firmly upon the upper forward portion of the feed-roller. A second and springactuated paper-guard or detent 6 is pivoted upon the standards 7 7 and presses upon the feed-roller a little in rear of its vertical longitudinal center, leaving about one-half inch of its periphery between these paper-guides exposed to the action of the types, as is best shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

The printing mechanism, as I shall term all that portion movable by means of the knob 18, Fig. 1, is pivoted upon a steel hinge and spacing rod 8, secured in the standards 7 7 at their upper ends. This rod is parallel to the base-plate and roller 2 at all points, and is ciroumferentially grooved throughout its length, as shown in Fig. 5. The carrier-block 10 of the printing mechanism closely encircles this rod, resting upon the flat surface of the lands 8', and rotates and travels thereon, while the carrying and spacing mechanism enters the grooves 8", as will be more clearly described. A stiff rod or tube 9, preferably of steel, and which may,if desirable, be made more rigid by a brace 9', is also secured in the standards 7 7, lying parallel to, below, and slightly in advance of the hinge-rod 8, and constitutes the fulcrum for all automatic movements of the printing mechanism. The latter is in its entirety attached to a carrierblock or carrier-plate 10, preferably of hard rubber, encircling the hinge-rod 8, as best shown in section in Fig. 4, and is susceptible of rotation about the rod as a pivot, or of endwise travel upon the same from end to end thereof. This carrier-plate is recessed upon its under side, and is provided with a shaft 11, projecting from its lower side, and

journaled upon this shaft a toothed barrelwheel 12, containing a coiled spring 13' and meshing with the grooves 8 of the hingerod 8, serves to propel the printing mechanism from left to right of said rod, the spring unwinding during the process and being antomatically rewound when the carrier is moved to the left. The carrier-plate is also cut away transversely of the hinge rod upon its upper surface and to a depth and width to closely and smoothly admit the sliding plate 14:. The character-board 13 is rigidly secured to the carrier-plate on each side of the cut-away portion, thus leaving a guideway beneath it. The sliding plate 14 moves in this guideway, its movements being limited or determined by the stops 14: 14" and being equal to the width of the character-board 13 and length of the type-roller 15. This type-roller is journaled at a right angle to the feedroller 2 in bearings 16 and 17, depending from an extension 15' of the plate 14. It is rotated by means of a milled knob 18, integral with the type-roller, and which also serves to actuate the slideplate 1 1 and to raise and lower the printing mechanism in the act of printing and spacing. The journal 17 of the type-roller is a hollow tube having independent sliding and rotary movement with respect to the journal 16', which is revolubly fixed in the bearing 16 and has no endwise movement. A segmental gear-wheel 19, Fig. 6, is loosely journaled upon the shaft 16' and is rotated by a pin 20, projecting from its forward surface and engaging at will either of three equidistant holes in the plate 21, Fig.7, which is rigidly secured to the type-roller 15 and constitutes'the bearing for the rear end of the type-roller. The segment-gear, in combination with the rack. constitutes a stop to the rotary movement of the type-roller and, to-

gether with the stops at the end of plate 14, automatically brings the roller to position for printing all the characters in the outer rows upon the character sections. Thus of the thirty-five characters in each section twenty are automatically stopped in position for printing almost without reference to the pointers. The shaft 16' extends entirely through the type-roller 15 within the hollow journal 17 and terminates with an enlarged head 16" closely fitting and forming a bearing within said hollow journal. A spiral spring 22 presses at one end against the head 16" and at the other end against the plate 21 and serves to hold the type-roller normally pressed against the gear 19 and with the pin 20 in engagement with one of the holes in the plate 21. I may, however, in lieu of the spiral spring, employ the flat spring 22, as shown in Fig. 13. A pinion 23, having an attached crank-arm 21, is journaled loosely upon the shaft 16, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5, and the crank-arm 24 is provided with a shaft 25,1ying parallel to the axis of the type-roller 15. The inking-roller 26 rotates freely upon this shaft and in contact with the letters of the type-roller 15, and is normally held by a spring 27a little below the horizontal central plane of the type-roller and to the right of the same when the printing mechanism is in its elevated or horizontal position. A toothed segment 28, pivoted upon an arm 29, secured to the depending portion 16 of the plate 15, meshes with the pinion 23 and has an actuating-arm 3O projecting over and resting upon the rod 9. When the printing mechanism is depressed,the arm 30 holds the toothed segment 28 stationary and rotates the pinion 23 so as to carry the arm 24 and inkingroller partially around the type-roller and to the left side of the same, the motion being reversed as the printing mechanism is raised, so that the lower side of the type-roller is twice traversed by the inking-roller as each letter is printed. A rack-bar 31, meshing with the segment-gear 19, is fitted to slide smoothly beneath the plate 15 at a right angle to the type-roller, and a guide-block 32, integral with this rackbar, extends through a slot 33 in said plate and serves, first, to limit the rotation of the segment-gear 19 and type-roller, and, second, to carry three pointers 34c, 35, and 36, each pointing to adivision of thecharacter-board 13, which, together with its relation to the type-roller, will next be described.

The character-board is divided into three equal spaces, each containing thirty-five characters arranged in five rows of seven characterseach. The first division or space at the left of the board contains the alphabet in capital letters, together with punctuationmarks, &o., to fill the space. The central division contains a like arrangement in small. type, and the third is made up of the nine digits and a variety of other characters, such as drnggists symbols, &c., or may be specially prepared for various scientific purposes, suoh as mathematical or chemical symbols, (be. hatever the arrangement of the character-board, it is aduplicate in reverse of the type-roller-that is, the first entire row of characters upon the key-board from left to right is the last row extending around the type-roller, as will be apparent upon studying the action of the device. The arrangement is such that when the pointer is pl'aced above the cross-mark just below any given letter or symbol of the character-board this letter or symbol is in position for printing by depressing the printing mechanism until the type-roller is in contact with the feed-roller. The characters upon the typeroller are in three divisions, as duplicated upon the character-board, and each division of the type-roller may be adjusted in position for printing by pulling upon the knob 18, so as to withdraw the plate 21 from engagement with the pin and gear 19, rotating the latter one-third of a turn right or left and until the pin engages one of the holes in the plate 21, thus locking the type-roller int-o engagement with either of the three divisions of type and in such position that the type-roller can be moved to bring any of the thirty-five characters of this division into printing position and no farther, as the type-roller is limited to one-third of a revolution about its axis, and this rotation carries the pointers from one end to the other of the row of seven characters of their respective divisions of the character-board-as, for instance, the pointer 34 from X to E of the central row of characters on the left-hand division of the characfer-board.

To move the pointers from one row of characters to another, the knob 18 is raised until the printing mechanism is in a nearly horizontal position, and is then pressed inwardly or drawn toward the operator, the plate 14 sliding in its guides beneath the characterboard and carrying the pointers to either "of the five rows of characters. on the type-roller are locked in position for printing, pointer 34 is used, (to. In the elevated position of the printing mechanism a combined turning and pushing or pulling movement of the knob 18 carries the pointer in any diagonal or right line directly to the character required.

To look the pointer, or rather the typeroller, in position to print the character indicated by the pointer, I employ an extension of the rack-barSl, having upon its lower surface seven notches or teeth 31", one for each row of five characters, as Q J X g (to. These notches, when the knob is depressed, descend upon and fit over a bar 37, thus locking the type-roller rigidly against rotationin either direction in position to print any one of the five characters in the row indicated by the pointer. The bar 37 is pivoted at 38 to the carrier-block 10, and is held in horizontal position by a spring 39, resting upon the rod 9. This bar has a pivoted stopbook 40 resting upon it, and also engaging the If the capitals rod 9 and limiting the bar in its upward spring-actuated movement, so as to hold it somewhat below a horizontal position against the pressure of the spring. The bar is guided in the support 41, rigidly attached to and depending from the plate 14, and a stop setscrew 42 is adj ustably arranged to strike the rod 9 when the printing mechanism is depressed, and to thus regulate the force used in printing.

The bar 37, with its spring 39, constitutes the main support for holding the printing mechanism in the elevated position shown in Fig. 3, the spring pressing the bar upward against the rack-bar 31 until limited by the stop-hook 40. The rack-bar is released from engagement with bar 37 by raising the knob 18 and printing mechanism above said bar 37, this movement also beinglimited by the guide 41 contacting with the lower surface of bar 37, at which instant the printing mechanism is about in a horizontal position and the type-roller is free to rotate, limited only by the rack-bar and gear, and is also free to slide endwise, as heretofore explained, thus giving the pointers a universal movement over their respective divisions of the character-board.

The bar 37 serves yet another purpose in being provided upon its upper surface with five notches or teeth corresponding to the five rows of characters upon the board and the type-roller. The bar 31, when depressed, rests in one of these five notches, thus locking the type-roller against endwise movement, and this, in connection with the seven notches in the rack-bar 31, serves to lock the type-roller automatically in position for printing an character indicated by the pointer.

Upon the opposite or right-hand side of the carrier-block 10 is a rigid metal arm 42, ex-

tending downward and forward, and having at its forward end a screw-pivot 43. Upon this pivot the spacing and locking levers 44 and 45 are secured, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The locking-lever 44 has a guide 46, holding it closely to the carrier-block 10, but permitting a slight vertical movement to disengage it from the grooves 8 of the hinge-rod 8. A spring 47, Figs. 4 and 5, holds this lever normally depressed and out of engagement with the grooves 8", while a cam projection 48, coming in contact with the rod 0 as the printing mechanism is depressed below a horizontal position, forces the lever upward and into engagement with one of the grooves 8", and

ITO

thus locks the carrier-lolock against endwise movement upon the rod 9 while it is de- 1 pressed and until it again approaches a hori- The spring or jump lever 45 zontal position.

is pressed by a spring49 into constant engagement with the grooves 8 of the hingerod, and is provided with a cam projection 50, which, when in contact with the rod 9, lifts and holds it out of engagement with the' grooves at the instant that lever 44 is cammed into engagement therewith. This lever 45 is of spring-steel, and has a regulated step movement away from lever 44, this movement being equal in extent to the width of one land and one groove of the hinge-rod 8, and is regulated by the screw 51 in the lockinglever 44 and the slot 52 in the jump lever 45. V hen the printing mechanism is raised so as to carry the cams 48 and 50 successively clear of the rod 9, the dog or detent 45' of the lever 45 is depressed by the spring 49 into engagement with one of the grooves 8 of the rod 8. The action of the spring part 45" of this lever is such that it is at this instant as little additional explanation.

far from lever 44 as the stop-screw 51 will permit and separated from lever 44 by the exact distance the carrier is to move to space the letters in printing. Continuing to raise the printing mechanism, the cam 48 is raised above the rod 9, and the spring 47 withdraws the detent orlocking-lever 44 from the groove 8" of the rod 8. The tension of the clockspring through the gear 12 overcomes the resistance of the lever 45" and moves the carrier 10 along the rod 8 until the lever 44 and carrier-block are in contact with lever 45, the curved detent 45 of which (see Fig. 5) is bent toward the carrier-block, so that it now occupies the groove directly over the detent of the locking-lever, and when the printing mechanism is depressed this is cammed into engagement with the same groove an instant before the j uinp-lever is released to take another step and assume a position to engage the next groove of the series. More briefly stated, the lever 45 steps away one space and engages a groove. Lever 44 is then released from the groove next to the left, and the entire device moves up to and is arrested by lever 45. Lever 44 then engages the same groove as lever 45 is withdrawn to take another step.

The spacing devices are operated by a slight movement of the printing mechanism, so that in spacing between words the printing mechanism is merely oscillated to make and break contact between the cams 48 and 50 and rod 9, each oscillation spacing the width of one letter. Vhen the carrier has traveled from left to right to the length of theline required, the outer ends of the levers 44 and 45v are pressed together against the tension of the spring 49, thus disengaging both levers from the grooves 8", and the carrier-block and its attachments are then moved to the left, the gear-wheel 12, in mesh with the grooves 8 of the rod 8, turning backward and rewinding the spring, thus restoring its original tension.

From what has been written the operation of the device will be so obvious as to require The paper is inserted from the rear, below the feed-roller, following the curve of the latter around to the top of the roller, and until its edge is secured by the spr'ng-guard 6, when it is ready for printing. The operator takes the knob 18 between the thumb and two fingers and simultaneously raises and turns and slides or pulls it so as to place the pointer over the character required, and this accomplished depresses it quickly, so as to strike the paper with the type-roller. The movement is reversed and knob raised to a nearly horizontal position-and the process repeated, the operation becoming surprisingly rapid with practice and being easily acquired and comprehended as soon as the location of the characters is committed to memory. index 53 is attached to the carrier-block and rests upon the guard 6 in line with the vertical center of the type-roller and serves to indicate the exact position of the letter to be next formed.

In Fig. 0 I show in perspective a modified form of locking mechanism which I mayemploy instead of the toothed extension of the rack-bar 31 and toothed bar 37. The central pointer 35 is made strong and rigid, as shown, to act as a locking device, and is pivoted in the guide-block 32, so as to have a rocking movement about said pivot. The extension of the rack-bar 31 to the left of the plate 15, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, is in this case omitted, and the bar 37 is carried a little higher, so as to have its horizontal portion 37' in front of and slightly above the upper surface of the character-board when the printing mechanism is depressed. The surface of the bar 37 is in this case smooth, and when the printing mechanism is depressed is engaged by an arm 54, projecting from the extension 35 of the locking-pointer, thus raising this extension and depressing the conical point into any of a series of holes or conical recesses in the central division of the character-board. The pointer, as it is seatedin these recesses, automatically centers itself, thus bringing the corresponding type or character on the typeroller into exact relation with the space to be next printed, and during the depression of the printing mechanism this pointer is firmly held in position by the spring 39 pressing the bar 37 against the arm 54 of the pointer. ,In Figs. 10 and 11 I show inside elevation, and in Fig. 12 in plan, the relative arrangement of the parts of this device, and in Fig. 13 in side elevation a spring for holding the typeroller in engagement with the segment-gear 19, as has already been described.

The inking-roller 26 is retained by a nut 26 and can readily be removed for the substitution of a new roller or for saturating it with a fresh supply of ink.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a type-writer, the hinge spacing-rod and the rod 9, in combination with the printing mechanism having rotary and sliding movement on the spacing-rod and provided A pointer or with spacing mechanism automatically actuated by contact with rod 9, substantially as described.

2. In a type-writer, the combination of the rods 8 and 9, the carrier-block hinged to the spacing-rod S and provided with the springactuated bar 37, having the stop-hook 40, and the extension rack-bar 31, substantially as described.

In a type-writer, the combination of the rods 8 and 9, the carrier-block hingedto the spacing-rod S and provided with the springactuated bar 37, having the stop-hook 40, and the adjustable stop 42, as shown and described.

4. In a type-writer, the combination of the grooved rod -8 and rod 9, the carrier-block hinged to the rod 8 and provided with the pivoted locking-lever 44, having the spring 47, and the cam projection 48, actuated by contact with rod 9, as shown and described.

5. In a type-writer, the combination of the grooved rod 8 and rod 9, the carrier-block hinged to the grooved spacing-rod and provided with the pivoted jump-lever 45, having the cam projection 50, actuated by contact with rod 9, and spring 49, as shown and described.

0. In a type-writer, the combination of the grooved rod 8 and rod 9, the carrier-block hinged to the grooved spacing-rod and provided with the pivoted locking-lever 44, having the spring 47, the cam 48, and the stop 51, in combination with the pivoted jumplever 45, having the spring 49, cam 50, and slot 52, as shown and described.

'7. 111 a type-writer, the combination of the carrier-block hinged to rod 8 and having the integral characterboard, said carrierblocl; being recessed beneath the characterboard transversely of the hinge and having the sliding plate 14, whereby the first and last rows of characters are automatically stopped in position for printing, with stops 14 14", substantially as shown and described.

8. In atype-writer, the hinged carrierblock having the integral character-board and guiderecess, in combination with the sliding plate and its depending bearings, the rotary typeroller, its operating-knob, and the segmentgear and rack with its pointer attachments, said segment-gear and rack constituting an automatic stop or limit to the rotation of the type-roller, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In atype-writer,the hinged carrier-block, integral character-board, and pivoted stopbar 37, in combination with the rotary adjustable type-roller, the segmentgear, the rack-bar, and the rack-bar extension, as and for the purpose described.

10. In a type-writer, the hinged carrierblock, integral character-board, and pivoted stop-bar 37, in combination with the end Wise and rotary adjustable type-roller, the segmentgear, the rack and pointer, and the rack-bar extension, all as shown and described.

11. In a type-writer, the hinged carrierblock, integral character-board, and pivoted stop-bar 37, in combination with the adjustable type-roller, the segment-gear and rackbar, and the notch-extension of the latter, as shown and described.

12. In a type-writer, the hinged carrierblock, integral characterboard, and pivoted stop-bar 37, in combination with the endwise and rotary adjustable type-roller, the segmen t-gear, the rack and pointer, and the rackbar extension having the locking-notches, as shown and described.

13. In a type-writer, the hinged carrierblock, integral character-board, and toothed stop-bar 87, in combination with the rotary and sliding type-roller, the segment-gear and rack-bar with its pointers, and the rack-bar extension provided with the locking-notches, as and for the purpose set forth.

14 In a type-writer, the hinged'carrierblock, integral character-board, toothed stop-' bar 37, and locking and spacinglevers, in combination with the rotary and sliding typeroller, the segment-gear and rack with its pointers, and notched locking-extension, as shown and described.

15. In a type-writer, the type-roller having the integral hollow journal 17, and'the plate 21, having the equidistant locking holes or recesses, in combination with the rack and segment-gear 19, provided with the lockingpin, as and for the purpose set forth.

16. In a type-writer, the combination of the type-roller having the integral hollow journal 17', the shaft- 16, fixed against'endwise movement in its bearings and having the head 16", and the spiral spring, as shown and described.

17. In a type-writer, the type-roller provided with the type-sections and the integral hollow journal 17, the space-plate 21, having the equidistant locking-recesses, and independent journal 16', fixed against endwise movement in its bearings, in combination with the segment-gear 19 and its locking-pin and with a spring for holding the segment-gear and plate detachably pressed together.

18. In a type-writer, the combination of the rods 8 and 9, the hinged carrier-block, and sliding and rotary type-roller with the pivoted segment-gear 28, actuating-arm 30, and pinion 23, loosely journaled on the shaft 16, as and for the purpose set forth.

19. In a type-writer having the rods 8 and 9 and the pivoted printing mechanism, the

combination therewith of the pivoted segment-gear 28, actuating-arm 30, and pinion 23, having the arm 24, shaft 25, and inkingroller 26, as and fort-he purpose set forth.

20. In a type-writer having the rods 8 and 9, the hinged printing mechanism, the pivoted segment-gear 28 with its actuatingarm 30, in combination with the pinion 23, journaled upon the axis of the type-roller and hav- IIO ing' t-hespring-actuated arm 24, shaft 25, and position to each other, substantially as de- T0 inking-roller 26, as and for the purpose set scribed. forth. In testimony whereof I affix my sign ntu re in 21. In a type-writer, the combination of the presence of two Witnesses.

character-board havin the independent char- 1 1 v i i Y aeter sections and 'p ointers with the type- GEORGE E RANCIS ROLER [SON roller having corresponding independent \Vitness'es: character-sections in duplicate and means for D. PENOE, locking either of the sections in operative M. II. ALLEN. 

